The Last of the Espers
by The Rose of the Sword
Summary: A fanfic with some of the cast of ff6 with what will come, a twisted plot. Yes it has Celes, Locke, and Terra.
1. The Town

The Last of the Espers  
  
"Locke!", a tall, strong woman cried.  
  
She stood on the summit of a mountain and gazing at the far ocean, was a disturbing sight, tornado flames were engulfing ships.  
Locke close behind ran as fast as he could up to join her.   
  
"Celes! What is it? Are you alright?", Locked called.  
  
"I'm fine, but look at those ships!"  
  
Locke turned around, and saw the strange sight. Ships, not carrying weapons, nor people of sorcery or warriors were being engulfed by flames as soon as they neared a town's harbor.  
  
It was strange indeed, for it was three years since Kefka was destroyed. Terra, caring for the children has settled peacefully, and everyone else has returned to their 'usual' lives. Sabin and Edgar have both decided to rule Figaro Castle, Shadow still wondered around but people have not been afraid of him since. For Celes and Locke, they both sensed that the end of Kefka, did not mean the end of troubles.  
Although the group had disbanded, and gone on with their lives. Celes and Locke vowed to keep a steady hand on any evil force gathering. It was this sight that made up their minds that no matter how much the greatest evil, or the strongest evil died, something else would always come back.  
There would always be heros, and villains, it was the way the world went day to day.  
  
Locke had a strange feeling that the force who was creating these flames was someone close to him...  
  
"Locke! Locke, hurry we have to do something!", Celes grabbed Locke while she turned to run back out of the mountain summit.  
  
"Huh?", Locke said. He snapped back out of his reverie and ran on full strength with Celes. Through twisted paths, they ran out of the mountain and into the forest.  
  
"Quick north-west, we must hurry before other people will die." Celes jumped on her horse, Archepelago - and Locke on Reqiuem. They travelled ten minutes on their horses before arriving at the town.  
  
The flames now engulfed the town wall which was wooden, the town's people were trapped inside the wall of flames.  
  
They heard shouts and screams, of pain and suffering. Locke shuddered at the thought of being burned to death. Befor he could react, Celes had already used her Ice3 spell, and quickly and steadily did the flames decline. A young man staggered out, slumped and coughing the ground. He lay down, and closed his eyes stuggling for breath.  
  
He opened his eyes, and gazed upon Celes who kneeled near him.  
  
"Are you alright?", She said.  
  
"My angel, is it you who diminished the flames?", he said.  
  
The young man gazed at her with pure adoration.  
  
"I am just Celes, Celes Chere, and you? I know magic...", She faltered - a fast flash of painful memories of the empire came joggling back.  
  
"Celes, Celes Chere who defeated Kefka? Is it you? I - I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause harm. I am Aros, the son of the mayor of this city.", he looked away sadly, "My father, he was trapped in our house, I think h - he's dead."  
  
Locke meanwhile looked guiltily at Aros. He had just stood there while Celes used her magic to help, he couldn't do anything.  
  
"Good sir, who are you?", Aros suddenly noticed Locke.  
  
"I am Locke, friend of Celes."  
  
"So I know.", Aros nodded.  
  
"Aros, know you why this flames are destroying the ships and your town?", Celes questioned.  
  
"I do not know, it is very strange indeed. Throughout the past month, at a specific time each day - ships that come are burnt. It is not until today that the town has been attacked. I do not know why, for we have nothing of value in this town at all."  
  
"Why don't the ships travel at night or another time?", Locke said  
  
"Yes, we have tried that but the ships come from a far part of the world that needs a long time for messages to travel there. Time and time again have we tried to tell the ships from Aryao to come at a different time, but it seems they ignore our messages - or that messages don't get through.", he finished frustrated.  
  
Before Celes could say anything more.   
  
Aros said, "I must help the villagers who are hurt, and we must think of a plan to figure out what is happening. Please help me."  
  
"Of course, we will.", Locke said.  
  
Locke and Celes followed Aros into the town, mostly all the buildings were damaged, the ceilings were on the ground - and people ran out at them as they realised the gate was open. A few stayed trying to look for the injured.  
Celes ventured through a school house, hearing a child's cry. Not afraid of the building's poor structure she went through, after all she had saved someone else in a situation like this before. Finding the child in a far left room of the place she escorted the little boy out, when he say Aros he ran to him crying. Celes went back, looking to see if there were more children. Through window, she saw such a strange sight, there was one building that was perfectly in shape. The windows weren't broken, it was as if the fire had not touched it at all. Jumping out of that window, Celes ran towards it, heart pounding. She ran to the front door, and saw that it was wide wide open, and standing in the middle of the room was a girl. A girl with violet hair, she was beginning to float up and somehow Celes knew exactly who it was. The same familiar esper form of a girl, they all knew: Terra.  
  
- to be continued - 


	2. Terra

Chapter Two  
  
Celes stared out to the ocean, at the rolling waves. Hypnotically mesmerizing her, for a moment she forget about all the troubles.   
  
"Celes", someone cried.  
  
Celes jumped up in surprise, she was lost in thought.   
  
"Hmmm?", was all she could manage.  
  
"It's me Locke, as soon as you saw Terra in that building what happened?"  
  
"Well as soon as she - saw - me she slumped down on the ground, and was to her usual form, green hair - not that purple stuff."  
  
"We placed her somewhere safe, near a make shift hospital for the wounded. There are so many, I wonder what she is doing here? Especially when the events seem so strange...I wonder..."  
  
Celes had guessed what Locke was about to say.  
  
"No! You wouldn't think she's the one who's been causing all the trouble now can you? She's our friend, she helped us defeat Kefka - she's caring for those children, she is a kind person. She would not put the town in danger, no matter how much magic she possesses."  
  
"Yeah, she has no reason for all of us, Celes let's talk to her. Maybe she saw something."  
  
Locke and Celes walked over to the building that was still standing, ironically it was the designated make shift hospital. Aros came to greet them.  
  
"We put that girl on that bed over there, she will wake up soon, I hope she's alright. I don't want to see anyone else hurt."  
  
Locke somewhat cautiously sundered over to the bed, he seemed somehow nervous and agitated. Celes looked at him disapprovingly.  
  
"What are you afraid of? Terra? She won't hurt us.", Celes said.  
  
"Listen, up on the summit I had a feeling that the evil causing this was someone close to me. Terra was here in this building that was standing, she - she has the power to do all of this! I know, I swore to protect her when I first met her, but not if she's hurting others!", he finished.  
  
"Locke, please listen to me. Terra is NOT evil, she was here for a reason. Maybe she tried saving the village like I did, maybe there wasn't enough time for her to use her magic. We all knew she swore never to use it again."  
  
Celes said that with strong conviction, and a feeling that Terra was innocent. However strange the situation may have been, all doubts of her friend vanished when she saw the girl open her eyes. When she realised where she was, she seemed scared. But when she saw Celes, and then Locke she smiled greatfully.  
  
"Oh, Celes...and Locke! We haven't met for a long time, I'm so glad both of you are here...But - ", Terra looked down sadly.  
  
"But what Terra?", Celes said.  
  
"I can't live my life this way anymore, I wanted to find love and what it is - and so you both know I have stayed with the children. I had a feeling, this familiar feeling that I already knew. I felt this when I talked to my parents and was with them. I know now that that is also love, and I love all the children I care for. But I also, have a feeling that something is wrong in this world now, it is not over yet. It is all my fault, I shouldn't have sealed my own powers!"  
  
"Terra, what has happened?", Locke asked, seeing the despondant look on Terra's face.  
  
"I - the children were out playing, and I sat under a tree. It was a hot afternoon so I fell asleep. I woke up to screams, and there was a huge dragon-like monster carrying of a girl, Esther. There was no way I could have saved her, it flew high and fast, and before I could do anything she was gone with it. If I had my magic, I would have vanquished it in an instant. But when an esper seals its powers, only another esper could bring it back. But I am, the last of the espers."  
  
"Terra, that's terrible. I see, there is no hope then for Esther. We must protect people from monsters again, only we know no source or the villain behind all of this. But Terra, tell me! What has happened to all the other children?"  
  
Terra could look bear to look straight into Celes' eyes as the question was asked. All three knew that Terra would not leave the children by themselves. 


	3. A Dilemma

Chapter Three   
  
Terra got up and walked out of the building, she sat down on a rock and Celes hurried to follow her. Locke still standing beside Terra's bed felt less suspicious of Terra, after hearing her story. But Terra still had not explained her appearance.  
  
"Celes, there were too many monsters around. I - I made them stay inside and never to come out. That why no one else would be hurt, but too many monsters came and I had no way of defending myself without magic, these monsters - they fly high and fast. Even if I had a sword or weapon, I could not reach them. S - So I sent them on ships to this town hoping that we could escape to a safe region of the world. When the ships we were on were nearing the village and I saw the flames ahead I knew nothing was right at all. We were still in the ocean, and some children could not swim. When our ship was caught in fire, I was in desparate panic, I made the children who could swim, swim, and I am sure that they are safe. There were about five that were left behind. As you know, in my esper form I could fly, and so I transferred, and I carried three of them back into this building. The one you saw me in, I made it safe, I was going back for the last two when I saw our ship explode in flames. I knew that the two children were dead, and that is when I learned of sorrow, of pain, and sadness for I would never see them again.  
I was standing in the building preparing to fly out, that is when you came."  
  
Celes watched Terra shed glistenning tear drops, and she felt so sad too. So sad for the poor innocent children, but the unnatural way that this esper had to learn the human emotions she yearned for. It was cruel to Terra that she did not manage to save the two children, for Celes knew that Terra would ponder about this throughout her life.  
Locke too heard Terra's story, and he felt ashamed of his mistrust. He had always been a bit wary of her, and her wonderful, powerful magic. But now it was sealed away, and there was going to be a hard time, of stopping the new evil without Terra's magic. It seemed that Celes was the only one. It was true, so true that they learned the esper's magic, of Bahamut, Carbuncle, Shiva, and so on. But as soon as Terra sealed off her magic, she took all the esper's magic with them. Only Celes had magic that was without esper. And still Celes did not have the Ultima spell, the ultimate magic.  
In Locke's mind however, he partly blamed Terra for the two chldren's death. Even though he knew that she had done the best she could. He rushed to Terra, blaming her.  
  
"Why didn't you fly back sooner? You have the esper form, faster than any airship, why didn't you try harder?", he said meanly.  
  
"Locke, I tried, I didn't mean to - I'm so sorry.", Terra cried. Terra ran away back to her bed, sobbing vehemently.  
  
"I can't believe you just said that. After we discussed this, first you thought she caused the fires, now you're being so mean to her, after what she had gone through, have you no heart? Go away Locke, Terra doesn't need a person like you. Just go away."  
  
Celes' words stung Locke deeply, and he knew she was right. That he had no reason to blame Terra, in truth he knew that all he was doing was taking out his anger on Terra. Still not wanting to admit that and apologise, he stormed off helping others elsewhere.  
  
Celes sat by Terra, taling with her, catching up more on their old friendship. In the evening when Terra had finally recovered from her shock, Celes and her discussed a way to finding the new evil that was causing this.   
  
"Terra, if we are to defeat this thing, we must use magic. More than ever is it needed, after you sealed the esper magic away, only I have magic left. But it's not good enough, I don't have Ultima.", Celes looked away, and sighed. The signs did not look good for a victory - a victory if they actually found the evil source.  
  
"Celes, I - I think I remember something when I was thrown out of the esper world. I think that another esper came out also when I was thrown out. He was older than me, he ran away - hiding in the woods. I called for him to help me but he ignored me and ran on. I knew he was afraid so I forgave him. But now I'm not so sure, I have never seen him since. I do not even know if he is alive, if we can find him, he may unlock all our magic, Locke's, Setzer's, Sabin's, Cyan's, and everyone else's, even Gau's.", Terra said. For a while, at the mention of Gau, but Celes and Terra managed a smile.  
  
"Well Terra, what are we waiting for? It's time to find the last of the espers, well now that you don't have magic anymore...isn't he THE esper?", she joked.  
  
Terra laughed, and they were both glad that old friends were met again. They both began to wonder where Locke was, strangely Celes hadn't seen him since the afternoon when she had got mad with him. Now, she felt a bit ashamed that she had yelled at him so meanly. She hoped that he was alright.  
  
"Terra, you go to bed now. It's quite late, I'll see where Locke is - and again, I'm sorry for what he said. He's just confused, and scared. See you tomorrow."  
  
"Celes - wait! I have something to tell you, something important."  



	4. Blindness in Love

Chapter Four  
  
Alarmed Celes hurried to Terra's side.  
  
"What is it Terra?, said Celes.  
  
Terra seeing the look on Celes face, laughed.  
  
"Don't worry, it's nothing harmful. Just a little...thing, before we defeated Kefka when I was with Locke and he wasn't suspicious of me. By the way, I forgive Locke, anyhow he said how he felt happy, so happy with you, and that he thought you were very beautiful. He said, he was lucky to save you and not Edgar.", Terra said quietly.  
  
Celes hearing the words, blushed turned around without a word and left to find Locke. Although to another person, it might have seemed Celes was angry, but really she was smiling widely, and Terra had caught the smile.  
  
He thinks I'm beautiful, she thought. Nobody ever thought I was beautiful before, well not really she said to herself. Since Setzer had mistaken her for his real love Maria. Feeling happy she went off to look for Locke.  
  
Seeing Aros she asked, "Aros, have you seen Locke anywhere, I know he was helping some people out, know you where he has gone? I haven't seen him for a long time, I'm worried."  
  
"Locke he's over there on the far harbor, sitting on some barrels. He said he would look out for more ships on fire, and he would call you for your magic."  
  
With a sigh of relief, Celes ran over the pebbly pavement, and on to the farthest harbor. It actually took a while getting there, and by the time she arrived there she had to bend over and breath heavily. She was so tired...  
  
"Hey look, general Celes' finally loses her wonderful athletic ability.", the sitting shape that was Locke said.  
  
And Celes knew that he had forgotten and forgiven the incident that had happened.  
  
"Hey I ran here, and it took quite a while ok?", Celes teased.  
  
Locke jumped off the barrels and walked towards her.  
  
"So how's our hero Terra? Is she alright? I'm sorry for what I said to her, I want to apologise."  
  
"She's good, listen she says that we can find the true last esper in the world. One that knows the whole magic, grey, white, and black, every single one. She's not sure if he's alive, but if we find him he can unlock all our magic."  
  
"Hmmm...that would be very helpful indeed," Locke mused, "But what if he doesn't want to help? Espers aren't humans, they are different. And what if he's dead? We would be finding nothing, wasting our time while the evil may spread."  
  
"You're right, we need some to look for the esper while others to defend the land. This is simple, we just need to find Sabin, Edgar, Shadow, Relm, Gau, Cyan, Strago, Setzer, and Mog. We'll split up the group. But how will we find the evil, even if we have magic, we can't attack without knowing who or what it is."  
  
"Remember I told you the feeling that it would be someone close to us? I thought it was someone close to us, but I doubt any one of our group would cause such evil. We will meet people, and then the truth will be revealed. I know so."  
  
"Doesn't sound very dependent, but I trust you. We'd better go to bed, we need to hurry."  
  
"Wait! Celes I need to say something, something that needs to be said."  
  
"Don't say it, I know what you want to say, but don't. For me, the words are difficult - I just need you to be dependent. We must not fail, there is a time and place for this in the future. If you'll be patient...", Celes walked off before Locke could answer.  
  
A surprised Locke, sat back on the barrel. Wondering, all I wanted to say is that - that I love Terra. He thought, he could not bear to lose her, he had loved her the first he saw her. He knew that Celes was beautiful, he always knew that, and he was glad he saved her. For it was what he vowed, to save a girl in danger. But he never loved Celes the way he loved Terra. Going over all the thoughts in his head, he realised that the only reason he had been so mean to Terra was that he was angry at her for risking her life. She could have died, and he would never see her again.  
And then he understood, Celes thought he loved her.  



End file.
